The Characters of Easter: The Villains, Heroes, Cowards, and Crooks Who Witnessed History's Biggest Miracle

Product description The Characters Of Easter Review Praise for The Characters of Easter?Dan Darling is such a delight to read! With eloquence and clarity, he gives us a tour of the many characters who witnessed the most important event in human history-Jesus? resurrection. Readers will be blessed to pick up this book!?-JONATHAN PENNINGTONProfessor of New Testament at Southern Seminary; Spiritual Formation Pastor, Sojourn East?How often do we know the style and traditions of Easter, pastel colors, spring dresses, and seersucker suits, more than we know the actual characters involved in the story of our Lord?s resurrection? The ultimate importance of Easter is that the tomb is empty, but there is so much more to the story that Dan Darling unlocks to help us see the significance of all those involved in the story leading up to the Super Bowl of Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I?m looking forward to using The Characters of Easter as a primary reference for preaching a sermon series leading up to Easter, and I?m thankful he wrote this book.? -DEAN INSERRAAuthor of The Unsaved Christian; founding pastor of City Church Tallahasee ?How fitting that a book about the resurrection makes the characters come alive! In The Characters of Easter, Dan Darling manages to make the most important theological event in history equally accessible to the person who?s learning the story for the first time and the seasoned theologian who has studied it carefully for years. Filled with thoughtful and practical insights, this book will fuel the reader?s passion for the passion story.?-HERSHAEL W. YORKDean of the School of Theology and Professor of Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Senior Pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church?I don?t know how it happened. But somewhere along the way, I became numb to the wonder of Easter. I still believed that Jesus rose from the grave, but the miracle no longer moved and amazed me the way it once did. The Characters of Easter was the perfect antidote for my spiritual stupor. Darling?s vivid portraits of the people present at the first Easter brought the momentous event to life for me. I learned fascinating details about the ancient world and received fresh insights about Jesus? friend and enemies. In the end, The Characters of Easter renewed my gratitude for Christ?s sacrifice and resurrection and left me worshiping in the light of the empty tomb. I know it will do the same for you.?-DREW DYCKEditor; author of Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible and Brain Science From the Back Cover A New Look at the Ancient Story of EasterYou?ve heard the story more times than you can count. The arrest of Jesus. The trials before the judges. The passion. And of course, the resurrection. A story like that can never grow old-but it can become so familiar that you miss the parts that are right before your eyes.Following up on his The Characters of Christmas, Daniel Darling?s The Characters of Easter takes a new look at the people and circumstances that were part of the greatest story ever told. With a skillful blend of in-depth Bible interpretation and sanctified imagination, Darling introduces you to the villains, heroes, cowards, and crooks who witnessed history?s biggest miracle. Each chapter is accompanied by questions for group study as well as suggested songs-both old and new-that lead to heartfelt worship. Let The Characters of Easter lead your soul to rejoice with that ancient cry, ?He is risen indeed!?Break free from the familiar, and discover untold treasures in the story you thought you knew.You?ll read about:SIMON PETERJUDASPILATEJOHNMARY MAGDALENEAND OTHERS About the Author DANIEL DARLING is an author, pastor, and leader. He was recently appointed as the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dan is a bestselling author of several books, including The Original Jesus